The Cross and the Crown
by The Byzantine Knight
Summary: Darling Charming is about to begin an epic quest to finally prove herself as a hero before her family and all of Ever After...but not in a way she ever expected. Orthodox Christian Fic. Takes place between WTW and DG.


**Full Summary:**

 _ **Darling Charming is about to begin an epic quest to finally prove herself as a hero before her family and all of Ever After. Her heroic quest is about to begin...but not in a way she ever expected. Out there is an Orthodox Christian Priest's son and his family struggling for their salvation and survival against their enemies. God sends Darling to help them, and in turn, the son and his family will help her fulfill her dreams as they all fight for their own happily-ever-afters. This is a story where miracles are far more powerful than magic. This as an epic of Faith, Prayer, Miracles, Love,**_ _ **Family, Friendship,**_ _ **Adventure, Perseverance, Loyalty, and Exceptional Heroism.**_

 **Madeline Hatter:** Wow! That story sounds very wonderlandiful, Mr. Narrator! I can't wait to see what happens!

 **The Byzantine Knight:** I know, Maddie. I can't wait to get started either.

 **MH:** Oh! How rude of me, I forgot to introduce myself! _Hey diddle, diddle! I have a riddle, from Madeline Hatter to you! Madeline is me, or Maddie for short, but also for tall people too_. I mean, my name is Madeline Hatter, but please call me Maddie.

 **BK:** It's OK Maddie, I understand Riddlish. I am a narrator after all. I am actually very happy you are here. I actually, want you to be here with me as I narrate this story.

 **MH:** Oh, Thank you so much Mr. Narrator!

 **BK:** You can call me **The Byzantine Knight** ; or "Mr. Knight", or "Big K" if you want. *chuckles in amusement*

 **MH:** OK Big K! It's nice to have a narrator that wants me to be with them. Normally, they don't like me interrupting, because they see me as a "disruption".

 **BK:** I'm not sure why they would see that. Anyone who has a problem with you, has a problem with themselves. You're such a wonderlandiful young woman, I love having you around to talk too during my narration

 **MH:** Awww, you're as sweetie as sweetie-pie, Mr. Knight! **  
**

 **BK:** *blushes* Oh Please Maddie...

 **MH:** *smiles* No I mean it, Big K! So what brings you out here for such a story?

 **BK:** I am glad you asked Maddie. One of the goals I have on this website, is to write interesting stories about and/or involving the Orthodox Church. I have wanted to do that since the Orthodox Church, my side of Christendom, is significantly underrepresented. Instead waiting for someone else to do it, I decided to do it myself and write stories about the Orthodox Church. One problem: what would I write? Until now, I have not any inspiration in which to put it in. _Ever After High_ finally gave me that inspiration, and so here we are!

This story is my way of witnessing my faith and showing everyone an interesting dimension to Christianity that most people are not aware of, or have never even thought about before: the point of view of the Clergy and their families (so yeah, this story is also partially based on my own life experiences.). I intend to Praise The Lord, in the context of an interesting story. I know that many other Christian Writers feel the same way too about their writing, and so I am doing something similar here (And maybe to also vent out and resolve some problems I have within the _Ever After High_ franchise and fandom.)

 **MH:** That sounds wonderlandiful Mr. Knight, but you won't forget to write about _Ever After High_ and all my friends there will you?

 **BK:** Of course not, Maddie. **This is still an _Ever After High_ story, and will focus on the _Ever After High_ characters and storyline; particularly on Darling Charming and her hero's journey. I am just saying that aside from the main characters and storyline of _Ever After High_ , this story will feature a HEAVY DUTY spotlight on Orthodox Christianity; and her Saints, prayers, hymns, words, objects, phrases, theology, and history.** Yes, this story is essentially fantasy meets religion. Oh dear...

I think though that I have got a story worth telling here and it will be incredibly intense, dramatic, and exciting; but it may prove difficult. Thankfully, I have the help of my editors Dad & Mom. Dad is an Orthodox Priest, and she is a Presvytera, (a Priest's wife, which in itself is a noble title!) and they live the faith better than I know personally (aside from other Clergy and Monastics). I also have the help of my very good friend **_Fr. Johannes "Hans" Jacobse_** , who is an absolutely superb writer and theologian. Like my parents, he has known about this story since it's development stages. He is excited that I am doing this, and is very interested to see what happens. Fr. Hans, along with Dad & Mom, is helping make sure I am handling my Orthodoxy correctly.

I know a lot about The Orthodox Church, and while I know I can do this, I know I can never have enough help. As my editors, they are making sure I am doing this right. I am going to need all the help I can get; especially since I am playing with the ever so dangerous combination of religious and fantasy genres. I know I can do this, but they are helping me out so that I don't make any terrible mistakes here.

God forgive me, if I do anything wrong.

 **MH:** That sounds hat-tastic Mr. Knight! I know I like finding out about how other people see the world. I also love making new friends like you.

 **BK:** Aw, thank you Maddie. I know I like having you as a friend too! **  
**

 **MH:** *smiles gratefully* Is there anything else you can tell me about what to expect from this story?

 **BK:** Oh, yes. **Th _e Ever After High_ characters are portrayed in their animated designs. ** They look much better there than in the toy art and the book art. I will be sure to use plenty of notes and continuity from the _Ever After High_ official canon to enhance the story. **  
**

 **There will be my own version of an _Ever After High_ "Expanded Universe" where we explore the fairy tale world even further. It won't just be about headcanons for individual established and original characters, it will also be about how fairy tale society functions and how it affects the rest of the world. It's crazy and elaborate, but I think it'll work.**

OCs will be heavily involved, and will have lots of action right next to the established characters.

I should also tell you something very important about the continuity. **This story takes place between the films _Way Too Wonderland_ and _Dragon Games_. ** I always felt like Darling had a story that was missing between those films. This is my version of what I think happened in that "missing" time frame. **The first chapter (which you are reading now) takes place at least a month before the events of _Way too Wonderland_. Chapter 2 onwards takes place after the events of that film.  
**

 **MH:** That's sounds off-the-page Big K! I know you'll do a great job!

 **BK:** Thanks again Maddie. And for the disclaimer...

 **All rights to _Ever After High_ belong to Mattel. If I ****owned the rights** **, _Ever After High_ would be promoted much better, and have more content come out more often. This story would also be canon if I owned the rights.**

 **Now, Let us begin...**

* * *

 _._

 _ONCE UPON A TIME...  
_

 _._

The most magical and wondrous place on the planet Earth is the land of Ever After. The land of Ever After is a land beyond imagination, where legendary magical fairy tales are real and happened almost every day.

Fairy tales have existed for hundreds of years, inspiring hearts and imaginations around the world. Many magical stories happened and were over, but there were certain stories that were so enchanting and spellbinding, that they began to be re-told, re-lived, and passed down to new generations. Most fairy tales originated in Europe, and so they always relived their stories for many a generation in the countries they were born in. Eventually the fairy tales grew too powerful for Europe to contain on the continent. So they eventually migrated westward to a new land where they could relive and retell their magical stories in a new land, which became colonized as the land of Ever After. Europe became known as the "heritage land" for the fairy tales of old, while Ever After became known as the mainland where fairy tales of today were re-lived and preserved.

In the land of Ever After, magic, wonder, and adventure was around every corner and was present in everyone's lives. Fairy tale society and culture centered around one thing: destiny and the continuation of legacy. The continued existence of fairy tales depended on the preservation of the story and every fairy tales figures' ability to provide new figures, their children, who will relive the story. As such, each child had their destiny already laid out before them the day they are born. For some, this is was a beneficial situation, while for others it was not, and they could only look forward to a more dismal future.

To document and preserve all fairy tale legacies two major events had happened. First, the recorded history and treasury of every fairy tale legacy was collected and protected in a magical hardbound storybook known as the Storybook of Legends. The Storybook of Legends not only was a record of fairy tales, but a binding magical contract that when signed, forever bound the signer to their magical fairy tale destiny, with the promise to relive it. It was believed that the Storybook of Legends had the power of destiny and control over the future of all fairy tales; though whether or not book had any actual powers was occasionally disputed. **  
**

Second, In the year 1812, the descendants of the brothers Grimm opened the doors to Ever After High – a school where the next generation of fairytales learned how to live their legacies, so their stories could be retold and live on forever. Ever After High was a special boarding high school where the children gather not only to attended classes, but also to be prepared for their destiny. Every aspect of the school was designed to guide the children in their destined fairy tale paths. You can find all kinds of classes specific for each fairy tale; from Beast Training and Care and Heroics 101 and Training for general legacies, Princessology and Good Kingdom Management for royal legacies, and General Villiany and Home Evilnomics for villain legacies. At Ever After High, the descendants of famous fairy tale figures from _Snow White and the Seven Dwarves_ , _Cinderella_ , _Sleeping Beauty_ , _Alice in Wonderland_ and every story in-between you could think of; they were all here under one roof going to school together. **  
**

Ever After High was managed by Brother Headmasters Milton Grimm and Giles Grimm, who often disagreed on what was better for the students and their fairy tale legacies. What they cared most about was the protection of Fairy tales and but both had different points of view on how it should be done. Milton Grimm, believes that the future of fairy tales relies on all students fully embracing their pre-written destiny today to become a legend of tomorrow. Giles Grimm is more in favor of students rewriting their own destinies and creating new fairy tales, and new destinies. **  
**

The most important year in the school year was the "Legacy Year" for second year students. In the second year of high school, the students would sign the Storybook of Legends and pledge themselves to be the next inheritor to their fairy tale legacy. Failure to sign and it meant, to put it bluntly, death. Or so everyone thought...

With the threat of death, no student ever failed or refused to sign the Storybook of legends. However during the last school year, that all changed with one legendary act of rebellion, that completely challenged and changed all destines forever in the land of Ever After.

Raven Queen, the daughter of the Evil Queen, had her unfortunate destiny to be the next Evil Queen in the tale of _Snow White of Seven Dwarves_. She did not have it in her to be evil, nor did she want to be known as the Greatest-Evil-Ever-After like her mother was, and so was hesitant on following her destiny. In contrast, her "nemesis in name only" Apple White, the daughter of Snow White, was completely enthusiastic about inheriting her destiny as the next Snow White. Although Apple was kind, generous, smart, driven, a natural born leader, and the fairest of them all, she was innocently naive about the possibility that anyone else might not like their destiny, and thus had no idea why Raven would ever want to not follow her destiny.

Concerned by this questioning of the power of destiny, Headmaster Milton Grimm tasked Apple White to convince Raven Queen to accept her destiny as the next Evil Queen. Despite conflicting opinions on destiny, Apple and Raven eventually became friends; albeit uneasy friends. Like Raven, many more students were beginning to question their destinies, and more were rebelling against the laws of destiny, much to the dismay of Headmaster Milton Grimm and students who wanted to inherit their destinies. **  
**

At the time of Legacy Day itself when students are required to officially pledge their agreement to following the destinies, Raven officially defied the laws of destiny and tore out her page in the Storybook of Legends; publicly refusing to follow her destiny. **  
**

Almost immediately after Legacy Day, the Ever After High student body became split into two rival fractions; the Royals and the Rebels. The Royals were those who favored their destiny, and were eager to obtain their Happily-Ever-Afters. The Rebels were those with a negative or inconsequential destiny, and wanted to write or re-write their own. This also became the most heated and debated topic in the fairy tale world; was it better to follow your destiny or create your own destiny? **  
**

After that infamous school year, the Royal and Rebel rivalry had calmed down for the most part as time went on. Raven and Apple were able to see past their differences and became best friends (again), many students got the chance to write and re-write their destinies, and Royals and Rebels manged to find middle ground; but there were plenty of students who still wished to write their own happily-ever-afters, despite what their parents, or the rest of fairy tale society might think and say.

One rebel in particular was Princess Darling Charming, the daughter of King and Queen Charming, and the sister of the Princes Daring and Dexterous Charming. She, like the rest of the princesses in her family, were destined to be beautiful, and helpless damsels in distress. Nothing was expected of her except to be beautiful and helpless, waiting for her destined prince to rescue her from whatever kind of calamity may come to her, was supposed to never lift a finger to do anything for herself, and instead rely solely upon others to do everything for her. That was the destiny Darling had laid out for her since birth, but she never liked it. Helplessness and the complete inability to do anything for herself? Oh, she would have none of that!

Darling was a hero at heart, had a constant need for adventure, and wanted a heroic destiny like her brothers. She was smart, brave, and athletic; strong in heart and body. She wanted to be a hero in her own right. She wanted to be like other knights, who go on quests and adventures to help those in need. She wanted to show the world that she was more than some dainty, fragile, pretty princess. She wanted to show the world that she had what it took to be a brave knight and a brave hero! She often dreamed about going adventurous quests and helping others, rather than being a helpless damsel-in-distress . **  
**

Ever since she was a little girl, Darling had trained and practiced hard for the day to finally come when would finally have her chance to prove herself as a hero. Darling knew that her twin brother Dexter had always supported her in her heroic dreams, although she wasn't sure if Daring would too supportive of her dreams. It was out of the question if her mother and father would support her, since she was essentially rebelling against her destiny. **  
**

Last school chapter, Darling had been bored to death taking classes like Damsel-in-Distressing, when she would rather be taking Hero Training with Dexter and Daring. Darling began to wonder if she would ever get her chance to be a hero. When Darling witnessed her friend Raven Queen tear out her page in the Storybook of Legends and rebel against her destiny, Darling knew that she had a chance to finally make her dreams come true. **  
**

At this moment, Darling Charming rode her beloved horse Sir Gallopad through her kingdom's village, early in the morning; Early, before-the sun-is-up morning. She and Gallopad loved taking a good gallop around the forest and the town; the chase, the speed, and the wind in their hair and mane made them both feel free. She was wearing a special work-out/exercise suit, rather the frilly royal dresses her mother, Queen Charming, always made her wear. Riding late at night, the only "safe" time, she could do that since, being the only princess of the Charming family (Well, immediate family only. Her princess cousins had their own lives and stories to worry about), Darling often was an attention magnet for boys who were completely enamored with her beauty and wanted to marry their way into the Charming family so they could get special royal privileges. She got more marriage proposals in a day, than most other princesses got in a year! She always politely turned them down, because she has always understood that their love for her was completely shallow, none of them ever bothered to know or understand the real her anyway. She was waiting to date a boy who was pure of heart, who wanted to date her for her, not her royal status. She had yet to meet that boy.

Darling was relived she could take a wonderful gallop with her beloved horse around her kingdom away from the prying eyes of...pretty much everyone. Everyone in the town was still asleep, so no one saw her out in the square. She stood by the wishing well in the middle of the town square, while Sir Gallopad took a drink at a nearby watering hole for horses. Next month, the next chapter of high school would begin in a few weeks, and Darling thought back to all her secret adventures and heroic deeds in the past year.

Darling had two adventures in particular, that happened in the past school year that she was most proud of.

First, she had helped her brother Dexter win against Daring. When Dexter had gotten sick, Darling decided to help her dear brother win the next jousting tournament, while she disguised herself in his armor to improve his jousting grade. Nobody ever once realized that it was Darling wearing the armor, and not Dexter. Darling got Dexter's grades up so high, that Dexter ended up competing against their brother Daring in the next jousting competition. When Dexter got better, Darling acted as his secret squire and helped Dexter joust properly against Daring. Even though Daring won the tournament, Dexter still felt like champion, thanks to his dear sister Darling. Dexter gave his old damaged knight's helmet to Darling as a victory trophy, and later got a new helmet that better fit around his glasses. Darling promised to keep the helmet for her future adventures. **  
**

Her greatest second adventure took place during the Spring Fairest, when she became the White Knight of Wonderland, after she saved the original one and he retired. The White Knight had more or less passed the mantle on to her, and she became the new White Knight of Wonderland. It had since become a part of her "secret hero's life" to occasionally escape down a rabbit hole to defend and protect Wonderland as the White Knight. Darling occasionally protected and defended Ever After as the White Knight, as well.

The best part of all this was that nobody ever once figured it was her who did all those heroic deeds. It amazed her on how nobody had caught on to her yet! **  
**

Darling pulled out a wishing coin from her pocket, and approached the wishing well, ready to make her wish.

In the fairy tale culture of Ever After, it was believed that there were many different magical ways to make your wishes come true. One of which was the use of magic wishing wells (ordinary wells didn't work quite as well). It was believed that when you make a wish in a magic wishing well, it would definitely come true (similar principles applied to stars and birthday candles.).

Darling thought again of all her adventures and heroic deeds in the past year, as she whispered her wish to the coin, before tossing the coin into the well.

"I wish I could be able to finally prove myself as a hero. I wish I could be the hero I know I am. I wish that I could make a difference as myself" I wish -"

 _Dong!_

Darling almost tossed her coin in the well, but was startled by the sudden chime of the clock tower indicating the hour. Darling looked up and her eyes went large at time; it was now 6:00 am! She saw the sun was peeking out over the horizon, so she quickly threw her coin in the well, ran quickly back to Sir Gallopad, mounted him, and prepared to make a quick gallop back to the Charming castle, and back to bed, before anyone saw them out at this hour. **  
**

If she had bothered to turn around, she would have seen how hard she actually threw the coin. Since Darling had very strong muscles, she threw the wishing coin so hard it did not go down the wishing well at all. Instead the coin bounced off the edge of the well's stone rim, flew and bounced off the side off another building, the coin flew off again, and then dropped into the Holy Water fountain near the local Church as it's final destination.

No had ever knew what to expect if a magic wishing coin, intended for a magic wishing well, would have dropped into a Holy Water fountain instead. **  
**

It had been established a long tine ago by the Church, that God's Miracles and fairy tale magic are separate forces, with God's Miracles being the stronger and superior force. The biggest difference between magic and Miracles was that magic could be harnessed and controlled, while Miracles could not. Fairy tale magic tended to be extremely flashy, random, formulaic, always have a expected result, could wielded by literally anyone, and required nothing of your soul for it to happen, nor any affect afterwards. God's Miracles were much more humble, precise, non-formulaic, had no expected results, could only wielded by God, whenever he decided for them to happen, and expected your soul to have faith, humility, repentance, and contrition before God for them to happen, and was it expected for you to keep your soul that way forever.

If the wishing coin had a more malevolent wish attached to it, it would have disintegrated upon contact with the Holy Water; washed away and forgotten.

Darling's wish in the coin was much more pure, and so in the Holy Water fountain, her wish in the wishing coin had instead become a prayer...

...and God heard it.

The Cross on top of the village Church shined as the sun dawned to a new day.

Darling Charming and Sir Gallopad managed to get back to the castle, and quickly get back to bed, before anyone noticed they had been out all night...

.

* * *

 _Elsewhere, a whole world away..._

In the night, hours before the morning dawn; A young man dressed in a royal blue _anderi_ , a priest's robe, and a golden pectoral Cross from the Holy Land, lights a small candle and puts it in one of the many golden candle stands in the middle of the Church.

He looks tired and a little sad. His tiredness comes not from a lack of sleep (he gets plenty of it), but comes more from the weariness of how life and the world has treated him and his family.

Despite him being the only one in Church at this hour of the night, leading into the morning, he isn't really alone. Illuminated only by the light of candles and the light of the windows, he sees the Icons of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Saints, and the Angels. He knows that he is is not alone, but is in the presence of God. This makes him content.

As he has done uncounted times before, he makes the Sign of the Cross on himself several times, walks back to the center of the Church, and then kneels down to begin his prayers. He has several items with him to aid him in his prayers; An Orthodox Study Bible, a Prayer Rope, a bottle of Holy Water, and a Blessed Cross.

First he drinks from the bottle of Holy Water, Crosses himself again, and begins reading the Psalms from the Holy Bible. He specifically reads the Psalms of Salvation and deliverance from enemies. He reads in a quiet whisper, switching between English and Greek in his prayer.

Putting down the Bible, he drinks from the bottle of Holy Water again, Crosses himself again, and then uses his Prayer Rope and begins reciting the Jesus Prayer...

 ** _LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME A SINNER_**

...several times as he works his hands around each of the 100 individual knots of the Prayer Rope, including the cross knot at the bottom. He prays in thanksgiving for his blessings, the protection of his soul, his family, and for those around him. He also prays for the salvation of his enemies; the hardest kind of prayer. The young man especially prays for the deliverance for his family from their current struggle and woes.

He drinks again from the bottle of Holy Water, Crosses himself again, ties the prayer rope around his wrist, and then picks up the Blessed Cross. He holds close to his heart the most scared Holy Relic in the whole Church; A reliquary Cross, crafted in the Russian Style, decorated in gold and sliver, that contains a piece of the True Cross, the Cross in which our Lord was crucified upon. Miracles often come to those who pray for and asked for the intercession of the Lord via the precious life-giving Cross, and other precious Holy Relics. The young man believed this with all his being. He had seen many miracles in his lifetime, through the intercession of Holy Relics, so he often prayed using the Reliquary Cross, hoping and believing that the Lord will answer his prayers.

After a few moments kneeling in Prayer, He looks up at the enormous Icon fresco of Christ _Pantocrator_ inside the center dome. In the dome, Our Lord, God, and Savoir Jesus Christ looks down from Heaven with a combination of judgement and compassionate mercy. As part of the style of Byzantine iconography and the skillful Praying hands of the Iconographer; An Icon can stare directly into the soul of the viewer, with either divine comfort or divine judgement. Or Both.

The young man pleads directly to Christ, praying like this;

 _"Lord, thank you for all the times you have saved, and protected my family, and myself, from the tricks of the enemy, and for keeping the faith. We have always been faithful Lord, and we always will be."_

 _"I ask you again to please help us and save us now in our current struggle. We are under attack again by the evil one and his unwitting pawns who seek to destroy our lives and our livelihood. I know we must be patient and faithful Lord, but haven't we been patent and faithful enough? Haven't we struggled and suffered long enough Lord? When will our faith be rewarded? I know our lives are not dependent on the comforts of this life, but why can't we have basic comforts everybody else has?"  
_

 _"I want to be able to help save my family from this evil. I want to defeat the evil that is destroying our lives. I want be the hero I know I can be, even though I am constantly told at every turn that I can't do this or that. I am trying to have patience and faith Lord, and while I believe my faith is strong, my patience wears thin."  
_

 _"You say Lord "Seek And Ye Shall Find", "Ask And Ye Shall Receive"; So Lord we are seeking so when we will find? Lord, we are asking so when will we receive? Lord I am seeking, so when will I find? Lord I am asking, so when will I receive?"_

 _ **O Lord of The Powers be with us, for other helper have we not in tribulations, but you O Lord of The Powers have mercy on us.**_

 _ **I will love Thee O Lord. The Lord is**_ _ **my strength,**_ _ **my foundation, my refuge, and my deliverer**_

 _ **Through the Prayers of the Mother of God and all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us Lord. Amen  
**_

The young man bowed down on the floor again in complete reverence as Christ looked down from heaven hearing his prayer.

The sun had almost dawned so the young man stood up, Crossed himself again, put the Blessed Cross back in the little side chapel it had belonged in, and went back to bed for what few remaining hours of sleep he had.

.

* * *

.

God heard the prayers of both the boy and the girl, both of whom prayed that they could be more than what the world saw them to be. Both to overcome the hardships life had put in their way. Both to be more than what was expected of them by their families, and the world. Both to be the heroes they knew they were, and could be.

.  
This what they wanted...but God gives us not what we want, but rather what we need so that we become virtuous in this life, and the next.

.

And so...as The Lord Blesses and Commands it, these two kindred souls would soon meet to give aid and strength to the other one, as they would help each other change their lives.

.

As The Lord Blesses and Commands it, they would become the heroes God wanted them to be.

.

As The Lord Blesses and Commands it, the adventure of their lives is about to begin...

.

* * *

 **The Byzantine Knight:** _So that is the beginning. The beginning of greater things to come..._

I will also include a small dictionary defining the vocabulary of the Orthodox Church because I am aware not everyone out there reading this is as familiar with the Orthodox Church as I am. I understand all the material about the Orthodox Church written throughout this story because **1)** I am the writer. I put all those words and references there. and **2)** I live in the Orthodox Church, I live with the faith for my entire life, but I am aware that what is completely familiar to me, may not be the same way for everyone else.

The dictionary will just be for just for Saints, prayers, hymns, words, objects, phrases, theology and history that are exclusive to Orthodoxy and can't be found in other Christian denominations. Definitions are mainly sourced from the **OrthodoxWiki** , a great website and database of the Orthodox Church; Highly recommended. _  
_

 **Anderi:** The Greek word for a priest's robe or cassock. In the Orthodox Church they typically come in black, blue, and light grey. A major visual difference between Orthodox and Catholic cassocks, is that the Orthodox cassocks have considerably fewer buttons than the Catholics do.

 **Jesus Prayer:** is a short, simple prayer that has been widely used, taught and discussed throughout the history of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The exact words of the prayer have varied, from a simple form such as "Lord, have mercy" to an extended form: **_"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner."_** It is, for the Orthodox Christians, one of the most profound and mystical prayers and is often repeated endlessly as part of a personal ascetic practice.

 **Orthodox Study Bible:** is a translation and annotation of the Bible currently in print by clergy and laity within the Orthodox Church. It is a study Bible which examines Holy Scripture from an Orthodox POV. The Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church are the ones who put the Holy Bible in the complete volume you see today, so find out why, and how to read the Bible as it was known by the Apostles, and the early Christians. The text is taken from the New King James Version accompanied by Orthodox viewpoint commentary. The first edition, containing the Psalms and the New Testament, was published in 1993. The second edition contains the Old and New Testaments, subtitled "Ancient Christianity Speaks to Today's World" came out in 2008. Both versions are highly recommended. This is the only Bible I read because I love all the commentaries and footnotes explaining everything I am reading; without it I feel very lost. There are millions of copies in print, so go pick up one. If you live anywhere near an Orthodox Church, chances are they will have multiple copies on hand. Ask before reading though!

 **Prayer Rope:** Is a loop of knots, usually made of wool or wood, that is used during prayer to keep track of prayers said. The Prayer rope is usually used with the Jesus Prayer: _**"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."**_ It typically has 100 knots, although some prayer ropes with 300, 250, 50, 33, or 12 knots can also be found. There is typically a knotted cross at one end, and a few beads at certain intervals between the knots. The purpose is to help us concentrate, not necessarily to count. The Prayer Rope works in a similar principle to a Catholic Rosary. Although the Prayer Rope was made first, and is therefore older than the Rosary.

 **Christ Pantocrator:** _**Pantocrator**_ is a Greek wormeaning "ruler of all". **Christ Pantocrator** is an icon of Christ represented full or half-length and full-faced. Christ holds the Gospel in his left hand and blesses with his right hand. The icon portrays Christ as the Righteous Judge and the Lover of Mankind, both at the same time. The Gospel is the book by which we are judged, and the blessing proclaims God's loving kindness toward us, showing us that he is giving us his forgiveness. Although ruler of all, Christ is not pictured with a crown or scepter as other kings of this world. The large open eyes look directly into the soul of the viewer. The high curved forehead shows wisdom. The long slender nose is a look of nobility, the small closed mouth, the silence of contemplation. It is the tradition of the Church to depict "God is with us" by having a large _Pantocrator_ icon inside of the central dome, or ceiling of the church.

The prayer **_O Lord of The Powers be with us, for other helper have we not in tribulations, but you O Lord of The Powers have mercy on us._** Comes from the hymn **Great Compline** which is sung during Great Lent.

The prayer _ **I will love Thee O Lord. The Lord is**_ _ **my strength,**_ _ **my foundation, my refuge, and my deliverer**_ comes from **Psalm 18** as a hymn.

 **As for the continuity of _Ever After High_ ; all the books, webisodes, and specials prior to _Way Too Wonderland_ have already happened. ** In particular...

 **Darling witnessing the events of Legacy Day happened in the book _The Storybook of Legends_. **

**Darling's adventure masquerading in Dexter's armor and helping him win the jousting tournament happened in the book** _ **A Semi-Charming Kind of Life**_ **.**

 **Darling's inheritance of the White Knight's Armor happened in her Basic Doll's dairy.  
**

I believe this is the correct order in which all these events took place.

In this first chapter you got a little bit of my version of the Ever After High "Expanded Universe" concerning the origins of the land of Ever After, the functions of Fairy Tale Society, and the differences between Miracles and magic, intermixed with the established settings of the _Ever After High_ franchise as we already know it. These are concepts that will be explored in further chapters.

 **Final reminder; This chapter happens BEFORE _Way Too Wonderland_. Chapter 2 onwards Takes place AFTER _Way Too Wonderland._**

 **Madeline Hatter:** Now that was hat-tastic Big K! When will I and the rest of my friends appear?

 **BK:** Don't worry Maddie. The rest of the _Ever After High_ cast will appear in future chapters. You don't appear until Chapter 3.

 **MH:** Okey-Dokey! I'll wait till then. Right now, it's tea time! (*Pulls out a full tea table and tea set from her hat*) Care to join me for some tea Mr. Knight?

 **BK:** I will gladly join you Maddie. I hope everyone found this beginning interesting, and will stick around to see where the rest of it goes. I also hope everyone learned a little something about the Orthodox Church by reading this first chapter. There will be even more to come, and it will be even bigger and more intense than this.

 **MH:** I know certainly learned something new Mr. Knight, and I can't wait for the next chapter! **  
**

 **BK:** Thanks again Maddie. As we wait for the next chapter (were things will really start picking up), Go check out the writings of Fr. Johannes "Hans" Jacobse. His writing is very good and I highly recommend everyone go read it. Tell him **The Byzantine Knight** sent you. Fr. Hans knows who I am.


End file.
